MITCHELL – More information has been released in the incident that left a Mitchell Police officer injured and landed 33-year-old Anthony Christian behind bars.
Christian is facing charges of battery against a police officer causing injury and strangulation.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on Wednesday, June 7, Mitchell Police Officer Michael Bargo responded to a call of a domestic fight at 933 Walker Addition.
When the officer arrived on the scene he spoke to Christian’s parents who reported Anthony had been physically violent with his father. They reported Anthony had held his father by the throat and slapped him on the head. However, they did not want to file charges but requested he be removed from the home for the night because they did not feel safe.
Officer Bargo and Officer Tye Corbin of the Orleans Police Department informed Anthony of the request.
Anthony is hearing impaired, and Officer Bargo communicated with him verbally, in writing, and through
Anthony’s brother.
But Anthony said he would not comply with his parent’s request and told officers to leave and began taunting them.
Officers began the process of taking Anthony into custody and he physically resisted. Anthony struck both officers, in an attempt to gain control of Officer Corbin’s pistol. Corbin fell on his back, and Anthony got on top of him.
“The attempt to disarm Officer Corbin went as far as the first level of retention on the weapon being defeated, but not the second.”
Officer Corbin attempted to tase Anthony, but because of such proximity, was unable to and hit Anthony’s hand with the taser to get him off him.
Officer Bargo was attempting to gain control from the top, and Anthony was able to turn and grab Officer Bargo’s canine traffic lead and attempted to choke Officer Bargo with it.
Officer Corbin was eventually able to tase Anthony twice, subduing him enough to be placed in handcuffs.
EMS was summoned to the scene. Anthony was transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital by Officer Corbin for treatment and evaluation. Once medically cleared, Anthony was transported to
the Lawrence County Jail by deputies of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department.
Officer Bargo was transported by a ambulance to IU Health Hospital for a medical evaluation and treatment of his wounds.
